Cleansing swab



M. I. REACH CLEANSING SWAB April 28,

Filed Sept. 30, 1935 .53 Jilll||IIlllllHlllllilllllllllllHlll ll lll ill!illlllllllIH|l||HIII/(IH-LIIIIHIMI I W \ILIHIU INVENTOR. M. I. REACH N ATOREY.\

Patented Apr. 25, 1956 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE 'aosasss cnamsma swan; 72'" Minna]. Reach, Pasadena, Calif. Application September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,806

' 7 Claims. (01.15-209) This invention relates to an toilet bowl cleaners.

The generalobject of this invention is to provide an improved toilet bowl cleaner including an operating handle. Y

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel toilet bowlcleaner including a swab made of shredded tissue which disintegmtes in the water after it has served its purpose. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toilet bowl cleaner including a swa which contains a disinfectant.

" second-group of elongated thin paper strips Fig.4 is a view similar to m. 3 s owing the swab partly rolled; Fig. 5- is an end view of the swab;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section showing my improved holder: I v

Fig. 7 is a detail showing oneof the fingers of my improved holder; I

Fig. 8 is a plan or bottom view of a modified form of my invention, and

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view on line H, Fig. 8.

T This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial 'No. 721,107,

filed April 18, 1934.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have indicated my improved toilet bowl cleaner generallyat ll. As shown the-cleaner includes a swab member l2 her It.

The swab member i2 is made of a plurality of layers of paper rolled in a substantially cylindrical form. The paper preferably is of such a nature that it W111 quickly disintegrate when 7 moist. In constructing'the swab I take oneor more layers of tissue indicated at H (and shown as two in number), slit the edges of these sheets as at I4 and lay one'upon the other.

II (show'n'as' four in number) is provided with slits II and arranged with the ends of strips I as at 24.

and a holder memposes overlapping the strips H, as shown in' Figs. 2 and In p'rovement 3. The strips ii are narrower than the strips I4 and upon one endof the upper strip I5 I arrange a center or core member It. This core member comprises shredded tissue paper'which is lightly compressed to form a more or less compact mass.

Adjacent the core member I arrange a coating I 1 of adhesive which may, be made of the following ingredients:

. Pounds Glucose 80 Water w 15 Glycerine 5 Pwdered gum acacia it g This adhesive will penetrate and secure the several layers of paper together and readily dissolves when immersed in, or moistened with, water..

An envelope preferably made of. tissue paper is secured to the top strip of paper Ii with the adhesive i1 and contains a suitable disinfectant, such as trisodium phosphate.

After the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 3 the layers ii are rolled so that the adhesive ll engages the core l6 and the rolling is con- I tinued as shown in Fig.4 and is then furthercontinueduntll the cylinder is complete and the free end is held in position by a glued area II. The slits in the end of the sheets I4 and I! produce a plurality of ton ues which give. added flexibility and produce a cleansing and scrubbing action.

The holder It. consists of a pair of arms 2.

. formed of a single piece of spring wire, the intermediate portions of which are bent to form a closed loop IL. on the ends of each It 'I secure a finger'fiiember 22 which may be made of metal or rubber and which as shown includes inwardly concave portions 23 which are knurled Whenit is desired to use my improved toilet bowl cleaner, a swab l2 isengaged between the fingers 22 of the holder l3, As the bowl is cleaned water penetrates the paper and softens the adhesive at l I and I8, and dissolves the disinfectant in the envelope i9 and causes the entire swab to beginto disintegrate.

When the cleaning is complete the holder is released-leaving the swab i2 in the bowl. adhesive softens, the swab 'further-disintegrates and may be flushed from the bowl. 1

The swab may be used without the holder l3 and it may be used for general cleansingpurthe modified form-shown inFigs. s and 9 r Asthe have shown a paper sponge B formed of a plurality of shredded strips I of a disintegratable paper and which has its central portion 2 treated with a. water soluble binder or adhesive.

The water soluble binder or adhesive I prefer to use with my invention is a weakened solution such as a. twenty per cent (20%) solution of acacia or gum arabic, but it is understood that any other suitable water soluble binder or adhesive maybe used, such as silicate of soda, the variousf've getablei gums, gum karaya, tragacanth, dextrin' or British gum; adhesives made from glues, starches and cereals; adhesives of either vegetable or animal matters, or such adhesives made from materials that act as an adhesive andare readily soluble in water, gelatines, albumin, agar, and sugar derivatives may be suitable; as well as chemical salts which actas an adhesive and are easily fusible and water soluble. The only requirement of the chemical used is that it be of such character and strength as to act to bind the shredded paper in a wadded mass and retard the disintegration of such shredded paper for a short space of time until the washing operation has been completed and which chemical in the strength used will also be readily soluble in water and will not leave a scum or; oil on the article being washed or on the water with which it. is used.

In carrying out the invention as disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9 a mass of shredded paper strips I may be of suflicient quantity to-make a sponge of the desired size and shape which may beplaced upon a supporting surface and a predetermined quantity of a water soluble binder oradhesive may be *dropped upon a'central portion of such mass'of shredded paper after which the edges of the mass of shredded paper are folded over each other-so as to enclose such water soluble binder or adhesive applied thereto and the same is then compressed so' that the central portion thereof is wadded into the desired shape, but the exterior surfaces thereof are covered with protruding free strips of shredded paper which thereby enhance theappearance 'of the article, as well as presenting a sponge upon its contact with water with a substantially immediately disintegratable por tion of paper strips which may aid in the washing operation.

" I have also discovered that the finished article may be'mademore pliable or flexible for immediate use as a sponge for washing articles with water that maybe accomplished by adding approximately one part of vegetable oil, such as castor oil, to eight parts of the water soluble binder and adhesive hereinbefore referred to, such as the twenty per cent solution of gum arable thereby .forming :an emulsion into which the shredded paper is immersed, or-associated with, in either manner hereinabove referred to.

From'the'foregoing description it will be apparent that I have lnventeda' novel toilet bowl cleaner which can be economically manufactured I Ia ving-thusdescrlbedimyinvntion 1 claim:

1. In a cleaning swab, an inner wrapping of superimposed, water permeable sheets of paper and a second Wrapping of superimposed water permeable sheets of paper of greater width than said first mentioned sheets of paper and disposed around said first wrapping, and a coating of water soluble adhesive penetrating said second sheets and securing them in position about said first mentioned sheets.

2. In a cleaning swab, a core of compressed water permeable shredded paper, a wrapping of superimposed, slitted edged, water permeable,

sheets of paper secured to said core by a water soluble adhesive,-sa.id adhesive coating extendin through said superimposed sheets, a second wrapping of superimposed, slitted edged, water permeable, sheets of paper of greater width than said first mentioned sheets of paper and disposed around said first wrapping, and a coating of water soluble adhesive penetrating said second sheets and securing them in position about said first mentioned sheets.

3. In acleaning swab, a core of compressed water permeable shredded paper, an envelope formed of water permeable paper and arranged adjacent to said core, a water soluble disinfectant in said envelope, a warming of superimposed, slitted edged, water permeable, sheets of paper secured to said core by a water soluble adhesive, said adhesive coating extending through all of said superimposed sheets, a second wrapping of superimposed, slitted edged water permeable sheets of paper of greater width than said first. mentioned sheets of paper and disposed around said first wrapping, and a coating of water soluble adhesive penetrating all of said second sheets and securing them in position about said first mentioned sheets.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a plurality of strands of water soluble material the interior of which has commingled therewith adhesive and binder more slowly soluble than the said material and the exterior of which has protruding therefrom substantially free strands of the said material,

5. An article of manufacture comprising a quantity of water soluble material the body portion of which has commingled therewith an emulsion of approximately one part of a vegetable oil and approximately. eight parts of adhesive and binder more slowly soluble than said material.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a. swab the main body portion of which consists of a wadded mass of absorbent material readily soluble in water and coated with an adhesive which is more slowly soluble than said absorbent material, which adhesive serves to hold the material in wadded form and retard the disintegration thereof.

7. A cleaning swab comprising a wadded, 

